Table golf



G. E. BROWN TABLE GOLF Sept. s. 1925.

Filed April 23. 1923 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

GEORGE E. BROWN, 01' L65 ANGELES, CALIFORNFA.

TABLE GOLF.

Application filed April 28, 1928. Serial ,No. 833,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon E. BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and 8 State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Table Golf, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to games, and has for its object to provide aminiature game 10 apparatus for playing the game of golf. Another object is to provide a golf game apparatus that may be conveniently played indoors and which apparatus is designed to be supported, for convenience, as upon a table or other elevated support so that the players may readily shift ositions about the game apparatus to most e ectively make the various strokes during play.

, A further object is to provide a miniature golf game in which balls are propelled about the green through means of a golf club which is operative to impart a sharp blow or snap to the balls simulating the manner of drivingland putting, it being against the 55 rules of t e game to push the balls during Another object is to provide a game apparatus having a field simulatin a golf green and includin the various we I known and proper hazar s such, for instance, as hills, ditches, mounds, depressions and water courses, which must be overcome in a manner similar to the playing of the standard game of golf.

' A further object is to provide a game combining a playing field havingi a surface preferably of a somewhat yiel able character, and to rovide a layin club having a resilient s ank whic is adapted to be bowed 40 or flexed under pressure when the head or striking end of the club is slightly pressed into the resilient or spongy surface of the field for the urpose of determining and controlling ski fully the blow imparted to the ball when the strikin head is released from contact with the su ace of the field.

An object is to provide a club which, during play, will produce what is known as a stroke, whlch consists of a movement of the ball by a lofting action similar to the lofting strokes in the standard game.

a A further object is to provide a ball which will practically be devoid of a reboundmg tendency and which-will, therefore, make 1t practicable in playing the miniature game by strokes imparting a lofting movement to the ball. 4

Other objects and advantages will be mademanifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective of the game field.

Fig. 2 is asectional view of a portion of the field structure.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the balls.

Fig. 4 is a diametrical section of a ball.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the back of one of the clubs.

Fig. 6 is an elevation at right angles to the view of Figure 5, and looking toward the striking end of the head of the club.

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a bag for receivmg the clubs and balls of the game.

The game of the present invention consistsof a topographic field 2 having an upper surface 3, which is given various contours and may be provided with a number of water courses 4, which may be formed with a polished metal surface or a mirror glass, various bunkers being shown at 5; the surface irregularities and the water courses constituting the usual hazards in a field. At different positions in the top surface are provided the usual holes 6, into which the ball B is adapted to be played.

Obviously, any number of holes may be provided in the green, and preferably the holes are numbered consecutively, and the game may be played either by playing progressively from one hole to the other according to number, or may be played by driving the ball by a stroke from the first, 7 starting or permanent tee, designated 7 on the drawing.

When the game is played by strokes progressively from one hole to the next in order, the ball is played from a zone within a circle 8 surrounding each hole and which, therefore, constitutes the tee at the hole.

It is obviously an object of'the game to 100 play all of the holes with the least number of strokes, and it is against the rules of the present game to deliberately bank the ball against a side fence 10, surrounding the field, with theobject of having the ball 106 lodge in a favorable position for playing.

In the event that the ball contacts with the fence in regular or proper play, no penalty is inflicted.

For playing, I provide a golf club, which is shown substantially in full scale on the drawin s and is about six inches in length. The clu includes a handle portion 11, and at its lower end is provided with a shank 12 of flexible, resilient material, shown here as of flat, spring steel. The lower end of the shank 12 is rovided with a right angular strikin head 13, and the effective face 14 thereo Figure 6, is inclined upwardly and rearwardly asto the direction of stroke so as to impart a desired lofting movement to the ball.

During play, the head of the golf club is pressed down firmly onto the surface 3 of the field or at the tees, and the shank .is then bowed or flexed according to the assumed force re uired as determined by the length of the flight through which the ball is to be driven. The head of the club is designed to be snapped against the ball and not placed in contact therewith in such man nor as to result in a ush.

Preferably, a ball of a non-rebounding character is employed, and such a ball is here shown as consisting of a solid, heavy core C with a composition covering or jacket Such a ball is designed to fall upon the surface without a material rebound and to roll alon the surface after contact.

The rules of the game enable the same to be pla ed by any number of persons.

If the ball is lifted, as out of a water hazard or an impossible lie, one stroke should be counted for the lift. If the ball is lifted from a water hazard it shouldbe placed as nearly as may be possible in the same place from which the stroke was made. If the ball is lifted from an impossible lie, it should be moved only far enough to permit the proper use of the club. Any motion imparted to'the ball while in the act of addressing it that is more than the distance of its diameter shall be counted as a stroke. A ball striking a water hazard is considered dead (even though it may roll out onto the green), and should be recovered and penalized by counting a stroke.

The fence 10 is shown as interiorly decorated to simulate the landscape around a green, and for convenience one side of the fence may be provided with racks 16 to receive a golf club ba 17. The bag 17 is shown as provided with a side pocket 18 to receive 'the golf balls.

From this it will be seen that the game and the various parts and elements thereof may be kept in assembled and packed relation to prevent loss of arts when the game is not in use. Prefera ly, the apparatus is provided with a cover which is not here.

shown.

The playin field may be built or may be of any suitab e material possessing the desired de 'ree of resiliency, and may be formed, for instance, of an asbestos composition or other porous, depressible material, to facilitate positioning of the clubs and the bowing of the same under pressure so as to obtain the snap action in making a stroke of the ball.

The covering or jacket added to the heavy central core is designed to build up the core to form a ball of the desired size. Also, the jacket provides means for obtaining the desired color and surface configurations or ornamentations, if desired. The jacket may be of any suitable composition, for instance, plaster of Paris or other compounds.

Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of the invention.

What is claimed is: v

1. A game apparatus consisting of a minature topographic field having obstructions representing the usual hazards of the game of golf, and holes at various portions of the surface of the field into which a played ball is to be driven, the field being formed of a material which will present a yieldable surface having a resilient base into which a playing club can be slightly depressed in making a stroke.

2. In combination in a minature g lf game apparatus, a golf green having a field surface of slightly yieldable character and a bendable golf club, the"head of which is ada ted to be slightly depressed into the sur ace of the green so as to have a snapping action in making a stroke of a ball.

3. In combination in a minature golf game apparatus, a golf reen having a field surface of slightly yie dable character, a bendable golf club. the head of which is ada ted to be slightly depressed into the sur ace of the green so as to have a snapping action in making a stroke of a ball, and a ball of non-rebounding character.

4. A game apparatus consisting of a minature topographic field having obstructions representing the usual hazards of the ame of 01f, holes at various portions 0 the sur ace of the field into which a pla ed ball is to be driven, a teeing zone at eac of the holes from which a ball is to be played, and a circular index formed of the surface material around each hole forming a tee from which a ball is to be played at the hole.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE E. BROWN. 

